Doctor Who | Going Under [Dark!Ten AU]

#3: Bleed

Summary: When Martha agreed to letting the Doctor take her on as a full-time companion, she wasn't expecting to see anything like this. . . .

Notes: Based on the song "Bleed (I Must Be Dreaming)" by Evanescence.

Originally published: 2014-08-25

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The night air felt warm on Martha Jones' skin as she walked down the London street searching for the Doctor. He'd taken her back home in order to go out to a big fancy social gathering with her sister Tish, her brother Leo, and some of their friends, but he'd slipped away soon after the introductions and nibbles and she hadn't seen him since. The party wasn't quite over, but some guests had started to trickle outside by the time she'd left.

A sudden noise coming from a nearby alley had Martha cautiously approaching in that direction. She poked her head around the corner carefully to see what was going on, then relaxed as she recognized the familiar lanky form of the Doctor. Martha stepped into the alleyway's entrance but stopped cold when she heard a pleading female voice.

Only then did she realize that the Doctor was angled so he couldn't see her, and that he had a young woman—blonde, maybe, it was hard for Martha to tell exactly—cornered, trapped between him and the brick wall.

Martha crept forward silently; then stopped dead in her tracks when her eyes caught the brief metallic gleam in the Doctor's hand. At first she thought it was the sonic screwdriver—but no, it was never that bright when light reflected off it. Another possibility—grim as it was—suddenly occurred to her.

. . . No. He wouldn't. He wouldn't. . . .

Dark red blood—it looked almost black in the dim light—trickled then flowed down the woman's neck, soaking her clothes before dripping and pooling onto the gritty asphalt.

Martha drew in a sharp, shocked breath. The Doctor's head whipped in her direction, eyes narrowed, and he stepped away from his prey. His victim crumpled gracelessly to the ground, her life force slowly seeping away in rivulets of red. He stepped toward his traveling companion; Martha's insides froze to ice and she turned away, her head whirling.

I must be dreaming. . . .

"Martha." He sounded so calm, so normal . . . Like he hadn't just slit an innocent woman's throat and left her to die . . .

Oh, he really was alien . . .

Terrified of him, she stepped back, out of his reach.

We all live and we all die, but that does not begin to justify you. . . .

"Martha, wait." The Doctor held out a long-fingered hand, reached for her. "I can explain—"

She didn't wait for him to finish: she was already running in the opposite direction as fast as she could in heels.

Martha didn't look back to see if he was following.

-oOo-

Several blocks later, Martha finally slowed to a fast walk. Taking deep lungfuls of air to help slow her rapid heartbeat and to regulate her breathing, she finally took in her surroundings. To her surprise, the route she'd taken had led her to where the Doctor had parked his TARDIS. The police box shape of the timeship almost looked like it was glowing in the dark, though that may be her impression because the lettering on top actually was glowing. Somehow, the sight of the sturdy blue box calmed Martha down, reassured her that she would be okay—however terrified she might currently be of its owner.